Either of a pair of large transverse venous sinuses that conduct blood from the cardinal veins to the sinus venosus of the vertebrate embryo[BTO].
Comment:
[homology-note] "In primitive vertebrates, the basic early embryonic pattern is retained, and blood from anterior and posterior systemic tissues is returned in anterior and posterior cardinal veins, both pairs of veins uniting in common cardinal veins near the heart. In derived vertebrates, the cardinals appear but usually persist only in the embryo, being functionally replaced by alternative adult vessels, the precava and postcava (anterior and posterior venae cavae).[well established][VHOG]" xsd:string {date_retrieved="2012-09-17", external_class="VHOG:0000112", ontology="VHOG", source="ISBN:978-0072528305 Kardong KV, Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution (2006) p.462", source="http://bgee.unil.ch/"}; [taxon-note] "Paired in gnathostomes; with only a vestige of the right duct in the adult hagfish (21) and the left duct atrophying at metamorphosis in the lamprey (22)[PMID:20959416, S1]"
Synonyms:
related_synonym:
Cuvierian duct; duct of Cuvier; future coronary sinus